Early Ski Season

It may not all be about getting face shots in 24 inches of powder during the early ski season in Colorado, but the camaraderie and satisfaction of doing something you love in the beauty of the Rocky Mountains should make up for it. While you truly never know what you’re gonna get, we will tell you this much, when the clock strikes 9am on Friday, November 10, 2017, the lifts will start turning and there will be some skiing getting done in Breckenridge! If you don’t believe us, check out this year’s opening day video below to see what we’re talking about!

Now that we’ve got you chomping at the bit, read on to see five of the many reasons why we can be so darn confident that you will want to come stay with us at our Breckenridge lodging for some early season skiing. Or, you can just take our word for it and make your reservation now. But, first check out the video below to see how close we really are to the Snowflake Lift across the street!

1. Bargains, Bargains & More Bargains

And if all of the aforementioned reasons to come stay at our hotel in Breckenridge are not enough to persuade you, then how about the fact that you will receive early season deals with discount offerings on lift tickets and lodging, including up to 35% off regular season ratesuntil December 14, 2017 at yours truly – the Wedgewood Lodge.

You will also find deals on early season lift tickets that typically run 35% cheaper as well, and what about the Breckenridge Dining Passport offering specials at dozens of Breckenridge restaurants until November 17th! If you are into bargains, then this is the time of year to visit Breckenridge and the Wedgewood Lodge.

Photo courtesy of the Denver Post.

If you’re staying the weekend, why not avoid the traffic on I70 and add Sunday night and/or Thursday night to your reservation at 20% off? You’ll pay the regular rate (or your discounted rate if you’ve stayed with us before) for Friday and Saturday and save 20% on Thursday and/or Sunday night(s).

2. Snowmaking + Elevation = Success

With a base elevation of 9,600 feet above sea level, and average high and low of 39 degrees and 11 degrees respectively, having snow by opening day (November 10) pretty much speaks for itself. But, if Ullr doesn’t happen to grace us with a copious amount of white gold in November and early December (early season), there is over 600 acres of snowmaking ability to tide you over until the skies open up. The 150 “Guns of October” usually start cranking in, well, October as the euphemism states, and it’s not “fake” snow as one might think. This man-made snow is as real as it gets! It just comes with a higher water content than what naturally falls from the sky and is somewhat denser, which provides a great base for early season coverage. Once it’s groomed, you shouldn’t feel any difference to natural snow. However, I wouldn’t worry too much about all of this snowmaking mumbo jumbo as history pretty much tells us that we can expect a white Thanksgiving at the very least.

3. History Speaks For Itself

Yes, history tells us that there will be plenty of “natural” snow by opening day. Breckenridge’s first snowfall typically occurs in September or October, with a few feet having already accumulated by early-November’s epic opening. When you average over 300 inches of snow a year, you gotta expect that at least some of it is going to come early (and late), right? So, why and where does all this snow come from?

In short, these mountains make their own weather. The founder of OpenSnow.com, Joel Gratz, gives his reason for Breckenridge’s tendency for big snow when he says: “Understanding the location of mountain ranges is important because big mountains create their own weather.” It really comes down to the fact that the rather large peaks surrounding Breckenridge increase the chances of fresh snow as moist air is forced to travel over the summits, and when it reaches the point of condensation, the snow begins to fall – right over the ski resort. And since we reside at such a high elevation we are subject to what meteorologists refer to as an “orographic lift,” referring to air masses moving to higher elevations and becoming the culprit in creating the 300 inches of snow yearly average. Add in the fact that – because of the resort’s location – we receive storms from the north, northwest and west and you can be sure to find some of the best snow around … even in November.

4. Less Crowds, More Fun?

It all comes down to the snow (see above), but you can pretty much be sure that whether it’s man-mad or natural, there will be runs to shred on open on opening day, with more opening daily/weekly at Breckenridge Ski Resort. So, with that worry out of the way, early season skiing becomes more about the ease of the entire process and less about conditions. Less traffic and less people on the hill means little to no waiting time in lift lines, and you could have the slope to yourself (or at least without the crowding that comes with regular and prime season). Worth it? For this reason alone, we think so.

5. Jack Frost is Not Nipping at Your Nose

If you’ve been skiing/riding in Colorado during the January and February months, you know that the cold weather can be a bear, to say the least. Average temperatures in January hover at the 31 degree mark with the average low dipping to zero. In contrast, November sees 39 and 11, respectively. You may not think that is much of a difference, but trust us that it truly is … especially when the sun is shining. So, to say the least, there won’t be any chestnuts roasting on an open fire and therefore Jack Frost will not be nipping at your nose during the early ski season in Breckenridge.

About Our Breckenridge Hotel

Thank you for visiting our website for your next vacation in Breckenridge, Colorado! Our unique, boutique-style hotel offers condominium units that range from studios all the way to three bedroom townhomes. So, you can basically find any kind of Breckenridge lodging that you are looking for, and all under one roof! This family-owned establishment has been in operation for over 40 years, so we know exactly what you are looking for in a Breckenridge hotel, and just how to give it to you!

Located in the Middle of it All!

The Wedgewood Lodge is located at 535 Four O’Clock Road – just minutes to historic downtown Breckenridge and a snowball’s throw from Breckenridge Ski Resort’s Snowflake Lift.

Testimonials

I just really wanted to thank you and your whole crew for all your help with the Colorado Tours group last month! This is always my biggest ski group of the season, and so is always rather stressful. This year, having you whenever I needed anything, and the extremely helpful attitude of the entire staff made my job SOOOO much easier. I really appreciate all you and the rest of the crew did to help me entertain 110 high school seniors for 3 days!

Thanks again!

Steve CollinsDecember 20, 2016

Proximity to lift, rentals, ticket window and easy on/off the mountain make this the best possible location where location, cost, quality and great staff come together. I have been coming to Breckenridge to ski since 2000 and have stayed at several locations but this one beats them all in total value. Check it out!

Kadet1980March 17, 2017

Great price, beautiful rooms, outstanding customer service, short walk (50 yards) to the slopes and only a 1/4 mile walk down the hill to Main Street. We have been staying at Wedgewood for 4 consecutive years and as long as we’re going to be in Breckenridge, we’re staying at Wedgewood. Highly, highly recommended.

David S.February 24, 2017

Barry, Andee, and the rest of the Wedgewood team were awesome for my group’s trip. We rented out the entire property and everything from check in to check out went smoothly. Everyone loved the layout of the property, the proximity to the lifts, as well as the common area for gathering. For having 260 people on site, I can’t imagine everything working better. We’ll definitely be back with this group in the future!

Recently stayed at the Wedgewood Lodge and it was great, very helpful staff, clean rooms and awesome location. We rented our skis right across the street, bought lift tickets and jumped on the lift right outside our door. Perfect spot to ski down for lunch and within blocks to walk to town for shopping/dinner at night. We had a 2 bedroom, 2 bath with a loft and it fit 5 adults and 5 kids just perfectly! Bathrooms both had double sinks and kitchen living area was perfect size to accommodate everyone. Overall great place to stay if skiing at Breckenridge!